The California spiny lobster helps to maintain the health of kelp forests because this lobster eats the sea urchins that would otherwise decimate the forests.
PISCO: Islands
Figure App.F.12.10.. A figure showing the average density of California spiny lobster near four of the Channel Islands from 2003-2006.
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Average density (+/- standard error) of California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) at 14 sites across four islands in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary monitored by the PISCO kelp forest monitoring program from 2003–2016. Lobster abundance is low at San Miguel (blue) and Santa Rosa (purple) islands and appears to be slowly increasing recently at Anacapa (red) and Santa Cruz (orange) islands. Lobster are counted by SCUBA divers swimming along transect lines. Lobster density was averaged across all monitoring sites at each island, including sites located inside and outside of marine reserves and conservation areas, to examine course-scale trends by island. At a finer scale, lobster density is responding differently inside and outside of some marine protected areas (MPAs) in CINMS. A discussion of MPA effects in CINMS is available in MPA Effects. Data source: PISCO; Figure: R. Freedman/NOAANPS: Islands
Figure App.F.12.11.. A figure showing the average density of California spiny lobster near the five Channel Islands of the Channel Island National Marine Sanctuary.